Multiple looper means for sewing machines



Feb. 6, 1940. A. KIERNER 2,189,041

MULTIPLE LOOPER MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 22, 1939 22 zm nf h l 2., J 2 m QEMMML 22 um; &

INVENTOR. Jain/z, z'ez'zwz;

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 PATENT OFFlCE MULTIPLE LOOPER MEANS FOR SEWI NG MACHINES Anton Kierner, Elizabeth, J., assignor to Emil Prazak, Elizabeth, N. J. n l Application April 22, 1939, Serial No. 269,436. r

5 claims. (o1. 112-,21s

' This invention relates to improvements injsewing machines of the type adapted to simultaneously produce a multiplicity of spaced lines or runs.

er hooks in required spaced relation, particularly where it is desired to simultaneously produce va 5- multiplicity of lines or runs of stitching in closely spaced relation, as, e. g., at relative spacingup to approximately one-sixteenth of an inch apart. Under such circumstances, the looper hooks should be properlydisposed in correspondence to m the spacing of the gang of sewing needles operative to produce the desired closely spaced linesor runs of stitching, and should bethemselves spaced in relation one to another so as to provide and maintain intervening clearance for the threads delivered by the needles and looped to the. operation of the looper hooks; and,'in addition to this, the looper hooks should be individually secure against displacement or shifting out of operative spaced relation one to another. Ityhas been attempted to meet these requirements by providing the looper hooks with round butt shanm for en'- gagement in a perforate carrier block to which the same are attempted to'be secured by set screws. Such arrangement, however, has not a proven satisfactory, since torsional stresses developed in the operation of the looper hooks tends I to twist thesame out of place, even though the set screws serving the same appear to remain fair ly tight.

Having thesethings in view, it is an object of this invention to provide, in combination, aznovel construction of looper carrierblock and a novel construction and form of looper butt shank cooperative therewith; all to the end that'not 5, only close relative spacing adjustment of the looper hooks is easily attained, but also so that once the looper hooks are mounted in and locked to the carrier block, tendency to loosening or shifting or torsional displacement thereof is most strongly resistedand substantially avoided.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more. particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

" An-illustrative embodiment,ofthisinventionis I T2111 shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.1 is a top plan view of the assembled carrier block and looper hooks made according to this invention,'the same being shown on a scale approximatingtwice the actual size thereof; 2 is a front elevation-of the same; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the'same; Fig. 4 isa-longitudinal vertical sectional view,.taken on line 4-4 in Fig.

1; and. Fig. 5 isa transverse'sectional View, taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4. a

Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional View of the novel looper hook means as operatively cooperating with the sewing needles in the production of runsof chainstitching; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan viewof the kind of'spacedlines or runs of stitching produced by the sewing mechanism equipped I with the novel looper hook means of this invention. i

7 Similar characters of'reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts. i

Referring to the drawing, the reference character :IU indicates the body of a carrier block, the same having in its lower portion a longitudi nally extending bore I l. to receive the shaft or like means (not shown) by which said carrier block is operatively mounted in connection with any well known means (not shown) for imparting thereto, and to the looper hooks carriedthereby, properly timed operative oscillation in coo-pera-z tionwith the reciprocated swing needle means of .the machine. I

Indenting the front side of said carrier block ill, above the bore ll. thereof, is a horizontal outwardly open socket channel l2. Formed in the. bottom surface of said socket channel, to extend transversely across the same, are a seriesof suitably spaced upwardly open seating grooves. i 3 of substantially "semi-circular cross sectional shape. The top surace of said socket channel defines arfiat Seating surface 24 disposed in hori-- zontal planespaced above and in opposition to said seating grooves l3.

- The looper devices comprise the usual bodies I5 which. terminate at their outer end portions in downwardly directed looper hooks it of suitable shape. Formed integrally with the rearward end portions of: the looper bodies l5 are butt shank portions l'l disposed to extend longitudinally therefrom. The top surfaces of said butt shank portions I! are downwardly offset relative to the top surfaces of thelooper bodies Hi, thus providing intermediate;stop-shoulders l8. Said top surfaces of said butt shank portion ll define fiat I faces l9-disposed in horizontal plane. The under responding seating grooves 13 at the bottom of said socket channel I2, while the top side fiat bounding the top of said socket channel I2.

stop shoulders l8 abut the front face of the carrier nel I2, so that the rounded underside seating por tions 20 thereof are respectively engaged in corfaces l9 are opposed to the fiat seating surface H but shank portions I! are thus entered until the I block H3, whereby the operative projecting dis- I displacement.

tance of the looper devices from the latter is determined. 7

Each looper device, as thus socket channel I2 of the carrier block, is so fitted thereto that the top side flat face l9 thereof bears against the fiat seating surface M so as to hold the looper device against twistingor turning If, as initially I entered in the socket channel l2 of the carrier block, any particular looper device is canted to one side or the .5 other of a desired perpendicular position at which its looper hook is is required'to be disposed, correction of such condition by adjustment of the looper device may be easily accomplished by- Withdrawing the butt shank portion and stoning or filing the top side fiat face IE to trim the same so as to assure, on re-insertion of the butt shankportion into the carrier block, the proper desired perpendicular disposition of the looper device. To permit of such adjustment the rounded seat portion '20 of the butt shank portion I! will turn or rock relative to the seating groove l3 engaged thereby. When the required perpendicular alignment and relative spacing of the assembled looper devices is attained by the described fitting adjustment of the latter to the carrier block I0, the butt shank portions may be suitably locked against outward displacement or withdrawal from the carrier block.

The means for locking the looper devices against outward displacement or withdrawal from the carrier block ll) comprise set screws 2| which are threaded through the top of the latter so as to engage the respective butt shanks ll of said looper devices. In order to permit the -use of screws of substantial size and strength,

and, in such case to provide clearance between adjacent screws, said set screws are preferably arranged in two parallel lines, with those of one line in staggered relation to those of the other line.

- When a comparatively large number of looper devices are mounted in the carrier block ID, the

top wall of the latter may besuitably'reenforced and secured against upward springing or yielding to the thrust of the tightened set screws 21.

To this end reenforcing and supporting shim members 22, preferably in the form of washers, corresponding in thickness to the heightof the socket channel I2, are inserted within the latter adjacent to each end thereof and outwardly of the gang of looper devices. the top wall of the socket channel l2 and through the shim members 22 are fastening or binding screws 23 which are screwed tightly home into the body of said carrier block I0, thus firm1y'ty-- Theentered in the Engaged through ing or anchoring the top wall of the socket chadnel I2 to the main body of the carrier block" art, that when the multiple looper means is operatively incorporated in a sewing machine, each looper device will cooperate with a corresponding reciprocable needle-24 includedin a gang of the latter corresponding in number to the number of looper devices, whereby oscillation of the loopermeans in the well known manner relative to the reciprocation of the thread carrying needles will hold, release and draw into interlooped' relation the threads so as to produce the familiar 2'0 invention could be made Without departing from e the scope thereof as defined in the following claims. containedinthe foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted;

portions having flat faces to oppose said fiat seating surface of the one wall of the socket channel and rounded faces to fit in said seating grooves of the other wall of the socket channel, and'means to secure said butt shank portions against outward. displacement from channel. 2. A multiple looper means for sewing mechanism comprising, a carrier block having an outwardly open horizontal socket channel bounded at one side with a flat seating surface and pro vided on its opposite side. with laterally spaced transverse seating grooves of arcuate cross section, a plurality of looper devices having butt, shank portions for insertion in said socket channel, said butt shank portions having fiat faces to It is therefore intended that all matter said socket grooves of the socket. channel, means to secure said butt shank portions against outward displacement from said socket channel, shim mem-' bers fitted into the end portions of said socket channel outwardly of the looper devices, and

anchoring means cooperative with said shim members.

3. A multiple looper means for sewing mechanism comprising, a carrier block having an out-- wardly open horizontal socket channel bounded at its top side with a fiat seating surface and provided in its bottom surface with laterally,

nel,- said butt shank portions having fiattopfaces to oppose said flat seating surface of the socket channel and rounded bottom faces to fit in said seating grooves of the socket channel, said looper devices having stop shoulders; offset from the butt shank portions to engage the front face of said carrier block to determine the exterior projecting positions of said'looper devices relative to said carrier block, and means to secure said butt shank portions against outward displacement from said socket channel.

4. A multiple looper means for sewing mechanism comprising, a carrier block having an outwardly open horizontal socket channel bounded by opposed spaced top and bottom walls, the top wall providing a fiat seating surface and the bottom wall having therein laterally spaced transverse seating grooves of arcuate cross section, a plurality of looper devices having butt shank portions for insertion in said socket channel, said butt shank portions having flat top faces to oppose said flat seating surface of the socket channel top wall and rounded bottom faces to fit in said seating grooves of the socket channel bottom wall, said looper devices having stop shoulders offset from' the butt shank portions to engage the front face of said carrier block to determine the exterior projecting positions of said looper devices relative to said carrier block, and a set screw cooperative with each looper ll device, said set screws being threaded downwardly through said carrier block to engage the fiat top faces of said butt shank portions of said looper devices. 5. A multiple looper means for sewing mechanism comprising, a carrier block having an outwardly open horizontal socket channel bounded at top side' with a flat seating surface and provided in its bottom surface with laterally spaced transverse seating grooves of arcuate cross section, a plurality of looper devices having butt shank portions for insertion in said socket channel, said butt shank portions having flat top,

faces to oppose said fiat seating surface of the socket channel and rounded bottom faces to fit in said seating groovesof the socket channel, said looper devices having stop shoulders offset from the butt shank portions to engage the front face of said carrier block to determine the exterior projecting positions of saidllooper devices relative to said carrier block, a set screw cooperative with each looper device, said set screws being thr aided downwardly through said carrier block to engage the flat "top faces of said butt shank portions of said looper devices, shim members fitted into the end portions of said socket channel outwardly of the looper devices, and fastening screws extending through said carrier block and shim members for the purposes described.

ANTON KIERNER. 

